Rosie O'Donnell was determined not to let her son enrol at a military academy and spent two years trying to stop him joining.

The entertainer was shocked when her teenage son Parker decided he wanted to pursue a career in the armed forces and she did her best to push him in another direction.

She eventually relented and let the 16 year old sign up, and now admits she is glad he is following his dream.

O'Donnell tells Access Hollywood, "He actually begged to go to a military academy. And I was like two years of 'No way.' Truth is, since he was a little boy, that's his area of interest. The same way I love Streisand and Bette Midler and entertainment, he can tell you any general in any war, what kind of tanks they had, what the battles were like. So I finally gave in and truthfully, he's excelling and he's very happy...

"How do you really p**s off your really left wing and peace-loving mother? You join the military... Parker was like, 'Mother, I'd like to serve the Nation.' I'm like crying, 'Serve me instead!'"

The comedienne reveals she even sends Parker food packages when he is away at school, adding, "(Parker told me ) 'The whole platoon, they all eat the stuff you send.' I do maybe over-mother him, but I think it's the greatest thing that ever happened to me."